Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Funding Mental Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sarasota board: ESSER funding sunset forced cuts to behavior specialists; members discuss mental-health and wraparound supports
Summary
Superintendent Connor said the district funded 182 positions with roughly $80,000,000 in ESSER COVID-relief dollars that have since sunset; board members and attendees warned the reduction in behavior specialists has strained classrooms and urged clearer visibility and case management for wraparound services.
At an insight community meeting, Superintendent Connor and several board members described how temporary ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding supported dozens of behavior specialists and related positions that have since ended. "It was dollars $80,000,000 that the school district had, and we have funded 182 positions using that funding," Connor said, adding that the sudden loss of those funds forced difficult staffing choices.
Board members and school leaders said the reduction in specialized staff has increased classroom stress and contributed to teacher turnover. Several speakers noted the gain from those temporary hires had been measurable while they were in place and expressed concern about sustaining supports when nonrecurring federal funds end. One board member said many teachers leave because of behavior challenges and called the situation "untenable." Another emphasized the need for better principal training, scheduling, and clear school-wide processes so teachers feel supported.
Speakers stressed that wraparound community partners such as local food pantries and the Community Foundation reduce immediate needs like food insecurity, but they urged the district to improve visibility and case management for those services so students do not "fall through the cracks." The board discussed steps the district is taking: targeted MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) approaches, principals'training cycles, and a planned quarterly review of redeployment of behavioral supports.
No formal motion or vote occurred at the meeting; board members asked district staff to continue reports on implementation and to consult students and principals about service visibility and access.
